Prisoner's Paper Plane
by Midori-Emmi
Summary: Birthday Fic for Sanada as well as for me XD Story and songs taken from Vocaloid. Sanada is a prisoner with no hope of freedom for the rest of his life...then he meets this girl...standing outside the great metal fence, smiling...
1. Prisoner

**Happy Advanced Birthday to Sanada Genichirou! And Happy Birthday to me today! XDXD**

**This is a birthday songfic twoshot for one of my favourite characters in Rikkai, the ever stoic vice-captain:) We Taurus' have it tough...**

**Plus...**

**Midori-Emmi: *Goes to sob in the corner and plant mushrooms with a thundercloud over her head* NO ONE REMEMBERED TO WISH ME HAPPY BIRTHDAY AT SCHOOL EXCEPT FOR MY AWESOME BFF, TAKUMA! WAH! *Cries***

**Disclaimer: Whatever doesn't seem like it belongs to me, it probably doesn't. Also, I don't mean to kill the Bible in any form whatsoever, nor am I doing a parody, but the mention is just for the stories' sake...Oh and I don't own Vocaloid.**

**Warning(s): Angst, tragedy, fluff? Fem!Yukimura and OOCness...add more if you deem fit. Sorry about the angst (in advance) by the way!**

**I chose to use the Vocaloid song series of Prisoner and Paper Plane for this. Please do watch the eng subbed versions on youtube before reading. Not that you can't...but it will make more sense this way...**

* * *

><p>It was a time of war, a time of unrest, a time of non-existent peace.<p>

It had started off with just a mild difference in religious beliefs. The only ones involved had been just a woman and her husband's family. But then…it led to something big, something huge. It forced the nation to split into 2 major believers as they call it, something akin to 'Atheists' and 'Christians'. Just like how followers of a Church will never get along with the haters of God.

It was similar, yet different at the same time.

Sadly, for the ones who believed in He who was powerful, they were far outnumbered by the ones who hated He. Their clashes in society could be described as the top layer and the bottom layer of the pyramid. One was far superior to another.

Concentration camps and prisons specially built for the 'Rebels' became a norm. Normal people knew they existed, but never wandered within a yard's radius of those wretched, black buildings. To them, those were a mere part of their society's existence, and nothing more.

Rebels…those who were once believers of the almighty He. They had started to lose faith in He who was called the Saviour. It was suffering, only suffering where they were…

…in those Goddamned buildings!

* * *

><p><em>In some time, at some place<em>

_One prisoner fell for a girl_

_Through barracks_

_Heartrending, heartrending_

A man trudged along the road to work, annoyed. But his status in his job scope deemed him unfit to show it. 5 metal stars glinted on the left shoulder of his military uniform in the sunlight. Entering the dark building, passing privates saluted him and he nodded in acknowledgement.

He sighed as he sat down at his desk, looking through prisoner profiles, and once again focusing on that one profile of their youngest prisoner.

The black-haired boy sat in his cell…alone. His cellmates had all been executed and he was the only one left. It was probably God's will for him to live on, he thought. His will to actually let him suffer through this endless torture when his fellow people would have long been relieved of it through the judgement of death. He even chuckled a little at the contradiction of his own thoughts.

Well, it wasn't exactly…all bad. Basically, prisoners were left to their own devices over there. It seemed like the only reason they were there was because they wanted their society to only consist of one type of believers. They were only taken out for execution or torture if the officers and wardens had nothing to do and just wanted some fun.

Stepping out into the fairly large yard the prison possessed, Sanada looked across the unkempt patch of wildlife they dared to call grass, where the great fence was.

The fence stretched across the entire perimeter of the prison grounds, and across one stretch of the fence was a flower field that the outside people frequented. Of course, they kept their distance, but nothing deterred the boy from seeing their happy faces as they frolicked across the lush greenery of the place picnicking, playing frisbee, anything.

Such was the daily routine of the 10 year old.

It was yet another day when he had wandered to the yard again when a sight made his jaw drop- inwardly of course.

There was this girl- looking not much more than his age. She was sitting AGAINST the fence, CALMLY reading a book. A hater of God was doing something that her parents had probably told her never to do a thousand times over. She was within A YARD of 'those wretched buildings'.

Sanada walked over slowly, unaware that his legs had started to move by themselves, slowly inching closer to this brave soul that had dared to venture where she was not welcomed. Weird, why did he not feel any hate towards her? His parents, before they had been stripped of their lives, had instilled into him that he was to hate anyone who blasphemed against God. It meant any who weren't in the prison grounds…most of the time.

"Hi."

The boy flinched a little. He hadn't realised that he had been standing behind the person of his thoughts all this while, and he had been noticed.

"H-Hi?"

He stuttered that one word out, having taken a clear look at the girl's face.

She had a round and beautiful face. Maybe paler than most, but still pretty. Her whole being teemed with innocence and naivety, her large deep-blue eyes devoid of any evil. Her shorter-than-the-norm blue and wavy locks fluttered gently with the light breeze that had just come by. Her dress was by no means fancy, consisting of only a simple design and a single pink shawl. A white, slightly wide-rimmed hat sat to the side of her- he assumed that it was to go with her dress.

Sanada didn't understand. How could one who hated God be so innocent? Was this an act? No…she looked really innocent…

"You look really funny with that dumbstruck face of yours."

The prisoner snapped out of his reverie with a playful poke from the girl across the fence. Once again, he had not realised that the girl had long put her book away and had stood up, staring at him from across the fence, grinning, then gazing upon him. It was a gaze that showed a tad bit of defiance. It was not heartrending at all- it was simply the gaze of one who had just met a new friend.

Sanada had heard of his mother speaking of the days when she as a child had roamed free, then as a teenager. He had also heard her speak of the first time she had met his father, and how it was love at first sight.

And with this gaze that he held onto with this girl that he did not even know the name of…he decided.

"What's your name?"

She asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.

"Sanada. Sanada Genichirou."

He had finally understood what his mother meant.

* * *

><p><em>Taken all of my freedom<em>

_I was having dark days of persecution_

_Between you and dirty me_

_Big difference, big difference_

Yet another scream ripped through the building.

No one flinched, no one stirred. It was a noise they heard daily after all, one way or another. One got used to the sound if they heard it often enough.

Sanada gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to shout and scream just like his fellow believer to the side of him. The whip lashed just as hard, with the same amount of force against him as the others. It hurt. It hurt so much. It hurt as if he were a piece of salmon at the hands of a professional sushi chef, it hurt as if he were being cut up into many small pieces mercilessly.

After the officers had had their fun, he was released back into his cell. No one tended to their injuries, no matter the extent. It was either they survived with it, or they did not.

The cell was dark and smelly. The walls were all black. It was dark even in the daytime, even with the sun shining through that small pathetic excuse of a window. It cast nothing more than a small square of light on the harsh, concrete floor.

But he would bear with it. He had to.

He was going to see his crush, at their meeting place, that place where the fence stood.

That was an everyday event now. It was becoming more and more of a routine. Sanada even found himself walking out to the yard even though he hadn't thought to. It was like a memory ingrained into his body, despite him having only met that girl just a mere while ago.

As per the norm, they stood and chat about how life was. The boy found his hate towards the ones who hated God diminishing slowly. His guard against this bluette was let down little by little every single time they met. It was impossible to hate her, she was the only one who had ever looked at him without that goddamn pitying and sympathetic look that one of her status gave to Rebels.

Suddenly, he caught sight of his own prisoner clothes. It consisted of a plain black shirt and shorts. They were ragged, dirty, and he remembered that he was probably not going to get the chance to shower that day. His face was probably dirty too. He looked across to the one opposite him who was currently speaking of her interest in gardening.

She was wearing that dress that he had seen her in on the day they first met. She hadn't bothered to take off that wide-rimmed hat today. Her face was clean, and pretty. Her clothes were clean too, and well-kept unlike his. Her feminine and polite mannerisms probably instilled into her by strict parents. It only showed how she was different from him, the prisoner within the fenced off grounds.

Their worlds were far apart. She was a norm in the society. He was a prisoner in the wretched buildings. Where she stood was way out of his reach. And where he stood…was way below someone like her…

As he watched her continue her innocent and cute rant about not ever being able to raise a cactus, he felt fear for the first time. Fear that she would one day realise that someone like him was not worth her time, that she would stop visiting him in favour of doing other normal things.

She flashed a smile at him, and he could not help but return one, something that he thought he had long forgotten to do. That smile made him feel that she would remember him even if that happened.

Having ended their little meeting of the day, he retreated back to the confines of his cell. He caught sight of a stack of paper that one of his previous cellmates had sneaked in, and a couple of pencils beside it. He smiled just a tiny bit at an idea that he had just gotten, one that he could use materialise these happy moments.

He could always hope, hope for the best.

* * *

><p><em>I wrote a letter<em>

_And folded it into a paper plane_

_Praying it'd reach you through the barracks_

_Fly away, fly away_

Sanada chuckled to himself when he saw the look of puzzlement on his friend's face when she saw what he had in his hands. He made a motion for her to wait, then summoned up all his strength to throw it across the fence, above it to where she was…

…which failed- miserably.

The paper plane hit the fence, then slowly floated back down onto the floor. The bluette's eyes had reduced to small dots and were blinking in amusement. The prisoner attempted to throw it again, and again. But about a dozen times later, he gave up.

There was still the old-fashioned way of trying to squeeze a piece of paper through a hole in the fence, wasn't there?

Sanada blushed as the girl giggled while receiving his letter to her. The shape of the paper plane was now non-existent, having been reduced to a crumpled piece of paper. Damn, this was exactly what he DIDN'T want to happen.

There was silence as she scanned the letter, nodding once in a while, and frowning at some of the contents. She then folded the letter back into a paper plane, and held it close to her heart. That smile on her face so warm that Sanada almost blushed again.

He tried to speak, but stopped short when the girl held a prompt index finger to her lips. She winked, pointing to the paper plane before turning around and walking away. Not without a wave of goodbye of course. The prisoner stood dumbfounded until he slowly came to the realization of his friend's intentions.

If she wanted to communicate through letters from now on, it was fine.

* * *

><p><em>Oh, able to get away from here someday<em>

_It's a lie_

_I know it_

"..and so we must believe in the almighty will of the Lord, that he will relieve us of this torture someday…"

Prayers, all the prayers that each prisoner sat through before each meal. It was all filled with praises to the Lord and everything nice and dandy. It wasn't that Sanada didn't believe in He, but rather, just simply gave up hoping that they were going to get out of the wretched buildings anytime soon.

"You Rebels will be released someday, we just don't know when."

Yeah, all lies. Lies sugar-coated to extreme levels. Lies sweet enough to satisfy the lowest of the low. It was common knowledge that nothing like that was going to happen. Ironic, wasn't it? The ones who believed in God were called the 'Rebels' while the ones who went against him were the right and just ones.

Lies of freedom, promises of it…they had long been buried in the dust.

* * *

><p><em>Your existence made me feel<em>

_Like all lies could be true_

_"Come here and have a talk with me."_

_You'd never know my agony_

_Watching you from here was a tiny happiness for tomorrow_

As the days went by, torture increased in frequency, as well as executions. Perhaps the military people were getting bored, or maybe just homicidal. Who knew? And no sane prisoner would dare to ask such a thing.

Sanada was the youngest among all the Rebels at the prison. But he was the bravest. When even the strongest of the strongest men among them screamed and shouted to combat the intense pain of the whips and knives, he stayed silent, taking it all like his father used to. It even came to a point where he had to force himself to limp across the yard in order to send his reply.

The girl had actually gasped in horror at his physical state, but said nothing.

It may have looked rude and uncaring for her to not have asked how he was or not shown any form of concern, but to Sanada, it was what he wanted. The letters that they had exchanged had told the other their personalities and their beliefs. The bluette knew that her concern would only hurt and anger him more.

These meetings, the existence of one who defied everything his parents had perceived one that was not a Rebel to be. The existence of this very pretty girl who was out of his reach, both metaphorically and literally speaking, in terms of both status and their physical boundary that came in the form of a horrible metal fence.

It was an existence that made him feel like every lie that he had been told about freedom could be true. That he would one day truly be free to roam the outskirts of the damn prison grounds and finally be able to play with his crush. He even remembered the statement that started it off.

"Come here and have a talk with me."

That was it, that was what he did at the girl's request.

His pain at having to go through the torture of those merciless soldiers. His despair at no longer having parents to comfort him and rely on. His agony at not being able to assure that this girl would continue talking to him everyday like this. His agony at not being able to gather up any courage to even ask for her name. He hid it, he never showed it to her, even though it was painfully obvious.

And every time their meetings came to an end, the two would wave, and the bluette would always leave with a smile. Her back would always look so frail yet demure, and Sanada would always stare at her retreating figure until she was completely gone from his sight. Only then did he reluctantly go back to his cell.

Watching her from where he was was good enough. Watching her from behind the fence was enough to fill him with happiness. It was the highlight of his day, everyday.

It was a tiny shred, tiny bit, of that hope and happiness for every tomorrow of his existence.

* * *

><p><em>Days and months have passed since then<em>

_Paper Planes from you everyday were my_

_Happiness, happiness_

Minutes, hours, days, and months. One term changed into the next whenever enough time built up.

Sanada smiled to himself just thinking about how long he had been 'conversing' with that girl. It had to be a miracle that every time they met, no one found them out. Their meetings weren't those which normal people or even Rebels would find rational. Discovery could mean terrible things, very terrible things.

Good things always came to an end some way of another. And the fateful day finally came.

A knock on the door, or rather, gate of his prison cell made him frown. He had been re-reading the letters that his bluette friend had been sending him. Turning around reluctantly, he froze at who he saw standing there.

It was the supreme commander, the one who stood above them all. Those metallic stars on his uniform were evidence enough. But…why was he there in that particular cell? The boy flinched as he met the commander's gaze. It was harsh, angry. Hatred splayed out naked for the world to see. To have made even Sanada flinch like he did…it wasn't normal…just wasn't normal…

Nodding towards the lower ranks flanking his sides, the 3 smiled evilly. 2 of them automatically went to the side of the boy and held him up by his arms. Sanada made no move to resist anything, he merely prepared himself for the punishment that was to be doled out to him. Weapons of torture were taken out of the pockets of the lowly soldiers and the prisoner closed his eyes.

It was the worst punishment he had had up to date. The commander and his minions had long satisfied themselves and left. Yet the ache of the muscles and the dull pain of the wounds remained. Sanada could barely crawl back to the corner where he kept his precious paper planes. They were his hope, they were his joy, they were all he had in this world.

And he'd be damned if he let them take these away from him.

* * *

><p><em>Suddenly one day you said<em>

_You had to go far away_

_Goodbye, goodbye_

_Oh, I have been living with agony_

_But I had never cried like today_

The sun wasn't too bright that day, yet there was not a cloud in the sky.

Surprisingly, Sanada had to wait for the girl to come and meet him. He frowned as he wondered if he had been too early or too late. Neither seemed possible as he wasn't one to show up at any of the extremes. Waiting, waiting, he finally felt something lift off his chest as he saw the approaching figure of the friend that he had come to know so well.

As she came into view, the boy felt something was off about his friend. She didn't come in the usual happy and enthusiastic manner that she did. Today, she seemed really withdrawn and down, allowing her great hat to cast its shadow over her small face.

When she finally came close enough and stood directly opposite of Sanada, she looked up and smiled at him. Sanada wondered when her face had become this pale and sickly.

He caught the paper plane that she had expertly thrown over, opening it up to read its contents. It had always been this way. Every time either of them threw a reply, the one receiving would open it up and read it on the spot, allowing the other to have full view of their expressions. This time was no different and the bluette girl waited patiently, all traces of a genuine smile gone from her face.

The paper's sides were being crumpled and subsequently crushed from being held too tightly. Sanada's eyes widened in horror and he finished off the last sentences of the letter and let his hands fall to his sides, including the one holding the letter. He shot his friend a questioning and hurt look, barely short of crying, mouthing a silent 'Why?'.

"It is just like you have read, Sanada-kun. This will be our last letter, this will be our farewell. I-I'll be moving somewhere really, really far away soon…and we won't see each other…any…more…"

The girl had her back turned to him, her voice coming out in squeaks and tiny sobs. She turned her head just a tiny fraction to look back at the prisoner whom she had become such good friends with, and froze.

The boy cut his finger with the edge of the paper, not caring about the pain. Turning the letter over, he wrote one big and blatant word using his own blood.

'LIES'

He raised it up high to show how serious he was, his stern gaze demanding an answer from the crying girl. There was no way in hell he would buy that pathetic reason as the one she had for wanting to leave him. The bluette felt her heart being wrenched. She shut her eyes and turned around, her back facing Sanada once more, letting out a sob.

She didn't want to leave this nice boy that she had come to know over the past few months. She didn't want to cut off all contact with him, it would hurt her far too much. But she had no choice right now…and it would be horrible and downright cruel if she just…left like that and kept him waiting for the meeting that might never come…

"I'm sorry…I'm…so…sorry…"

The girl could only blurt out as her feet started carrying her away from where she stood.

"I'll wait!"

The shout that came from behind her, before she stood still to listen to what her friend had to say as last words. Straight after that, she had run off as quickly as her feet could carry her, not sparing a single backward glance…

The goodbye that had been so unexpected. The goodbye that had been so sudden and harsh. The goodbye that had been so painful and torturous.

Sanada sat still in his cell, his hand absently fingering the last letter that he would ever receive from this friend that he didn't even know the name of. He could still smell the faint scent of her light perfume on the paper, the mark she had left. It was really hard to imagine that as of tomorrow, there would be no more meetings like the past few months. That the light that had been shining at the edge of his tunnel of life had extinguished just like that.

The prisoner punched the wall, screaming in agony. He thought he knew what agony was, he thought it was the very definition of what he had been going through these past years…but he was wrong. The real thing was way, way worse. His heart felt torn into a million shreds, it felt as if a thousand arrows had pierced into it, felt as if some savage carnivore was in his chest, eating it from inside out…it was that painful.

Finally giving in to his fatigue and pain from earlier wounds, he slid down the wall, gathering himself to lie down sideways in the corner where he kept all his precious paper planes. Holding the two most precious to his chest- the first and the last letters that they had ever exchanged…

…he broke down, crying like never before, tears blurring his vision and screaming his lungs out. Neighbouring cellmates cringed at the volume of the wailing, but said nothing as they left him be.

This was the first time he cried like this, and it wasn't going to be his last.

* * *

><p><em>Your existence made me smile<em>

_Even with any fate_

_Seeing you without your name_

_I felt I restored a bright future_

_I can't call you_

_I can't chase you_

_I can't get out of here_

_I can't do anything_

He woke up gasping for air, sweating cold sweat all over, and his hand in a reaching out pose.

Sighing exasperatedly, he pushed himself up into a sitting position and combed his hair back using his fingers. He sighed again as his gaze fell once more on the corner of the room where he put all his precious paper planes.

His days now went like a routine, waking up, looking at the letters, musing and pitying himself, then reading the letters, and yadda yadda. He also had nightmares, weird ones of the scene of the bluette girl leaving playing over and over again in his head. The only change being he thought he saw her sprout angel wings during the last nightmare, but right now he couldn't be sure.

Sanada missed her so, so much, their meetings had been the only thing that kept him sane in this whole wretched building. The only thing that gave him hope, and the will to live. Now that will to live was gone, and the prisoner didn't even know what the heck he was breathing for now. His friend's existence had forced him to rethink what he thought of his future, she had made him realise that he could hope, that there was always a chance that he would be free one day…

…and now that bright imagery of a future had been shattered by her sudden departure, never to be restored.

Sanada heard the gate of his cell being opened, but he didn't respond at all, choosing to remain silent where he was sitting. It was considered rude for one of his standing to not rise to his feet and salute when a soldier or the commander came in, but right now he didn't care.

One of the privates growled and lunged forward to teach the prisoner a lesson about respect, but was stopped when the supreme commander, or in other words the general, held his arm out. He wordlessly nodded to the two flanking him. Nodding as well in reply, they went to the boy and held him up by the arms, making sure he would not be able to wriggle out of their grip so easily.

The general trudged over to where the letters lay, and picked one out of the pile, much to the horror of Sanada. He stared at it for a while before making his way to the front of Sanada, in his direct line of vision, taking care to rip it messily right in front of the said prisoner.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Once more, the neighbouring cellmates cringed at the volume, but once again said nothing. They understood only too well the agony of their fellow people. A sympathetic sob could even be heard at the end of the corridor. Some people started tearing at the cry of agony from their bravest and youngest Rebel.

One by one, the letters were being ripped up and Sanada could only cry and struggle his hardest against the iron grips as he saw his precious treasure trove of memories being torn up and destroyed right in front of his very eyes. His anger and despair built up to a point where all he could think about was how to kill the commander for doing this of all things to him.

His common sense and conscience finally gave way as he saw the commander slowly tearing up the most recent letter that he had gotten. That last letter.

Even the privates were caught by surprise when he flung their arms off with superhuman strength and he dashed across to where the general stood, arms out and ready to strangle the tall man. To Sanada's shock and surprise, the general made no move to fight back when he had the ability to, instead choosing to shut his eyes.

His look was also weird and off…was he crying? It was as if the general was trying to keep his gaze steady amidst conflicting emotions and all. He even felt pity for a moment and loosened his grip, the momentary weakness allowing him to be caught once again by the minions. The general sighed.

"General sir, awaiting command."

It seemed like a long time before the general's shoulder slumped, and he finally gave a reply.

"Prepare the gassing room. I want it done within 15 minutes."

And with that he strode briskly out the gate.

* * *

><p><em>Finally it's my turn<em>

_Me being without you_

_I have no regrets in this world_

_But I am screaming within my mind_

_I want to live a little more_

_I no longer have contradictory feelings_

_Just want to see you one more time_

_Wanna see you, wanna see you_

_One more time, one more time_

"Its my turn, isn't it?"

One of the officers merely huffed in ignorance and turned away, while the other, a presumably nicer one, replied.

"I'm sorry, kid. We can't control how the general thinks."

"Hn."

"And besides, its actually the first time he had personally asked for an execution…"

Now this statement called for Sanada's attention, and he snapped his head up.

"Wait, wha-"

Too late, the door to the office had shut and the two who he had been talking to were nowhere in sight. It was only the general and him in the office now.

The smell of documents and paper filled his nostrils, although not as bad as when he first entered the prison. The general simply sat in his rotating chair, staring at him, and the prisoner just refused to meet his gaze.

"Sanada-kun."

Silence, as the boy continued to ignore the superior.

"Or would you rather I call you prisoner number 210511? I could do that."

Scowling, Sanada finally tilted his head up a little, and spat out.

"What the heck do you want with me?"

The general only nodded in acknowledgement as if what he had heard was a completely polite and reasonable reply to his question.

"Do you know the reason why you are here, sitting in my office? "

The prisoner folded his arms, and glared at the general with the worst look he could muster. The pure hate.

"I don't give a freaking damn why I'm here! If you want me executed, so be it! Don't f***ing drag me into this stupid 'reason' thingie that you damn atheists are so proud of!"

Settling down after the outburst, Sanada once again refused to meet the general's gaze. The said man only sighed as picked up a paper plane from his desk drawer, setting it on the table. The boy still had his head bent low.

"I had something I wanted to pass to you. But of course, the choice of accepting it lies with you, Sanada-kun."

Head tilting up by a mere millimetre or so, Sanada suddenly snapped his head up at the sight of the object on the desk. At the approving nod of the superior, he snatched the paper plane from where it had been placed and hurriedly unfolded it, not caring about why or how the general had got his hands on one of those.

The general sat in silence as he saw a smile light up on the boy's face, and how he hugged the letter close to him when he was done admiring its contents- the picture drawn on it.

Sanada was smiling on the outside, but inside, he was feeling anguish and everything negative. The only difference being that his contradictory feelings were no more, and he simply felt this really strong want to meet this girl again, to see her…before he would die…

His tears weren't from laughing, they were from sadness and longing, but he stopped them soon enough. He turned to face the general.

"May I…see her? One…more time?"

* * *

><p><em>I can never have the days we spent together<em>

_I remember the days like a flash_

_Everything you gave me was my only hope to live_

_In the weeds filled with darkness_

_There was one flower blooming beautifully_

This bluette friend of his had been the only real company he had all this time he was in this goddamn prison, and memories of their meeting flowed steadily through the prisoner's mind. He remembered every single detail of their every meeting, even the words they exchanged. These meetings and letter exchanges meant this much to him.

Sanada suddenly realised that the hope and will to live wasn't all that the girl gave him. She gave him the company that he had yearned for. She gave him the feelings of happiness and excitement. She gave meaning to the words 'understanding' and 'love'. She erased the line that separated them as the Rebels and the Atheists.

In all the weeds among the flora, the Atheists among the Rebels, it was horrible and dark. You were either one or the other. She was this flower blooming beautifully among all the weeds out there. This girl stood out in her own way, unafraid of the consequences of associating with a lowly Rebel such as himself.

If she was the flower, then he was the bee. The one who appreciated its beauty and elegance.

* * *

><p><em>Even though we lived in a different world<em>

_I tried to reach you out_

_If this is the last moment_

_Please let me talk to her_

"I'm…sorry. That is not possible."

"Why? You know something don't you? Please…let me see her! I don't care what method you use to kill me later, just let me…see…her…"

The man watched as the young boy in front of him broke down while begging to see that girl once again. He had to look away from the boy's gaze, knowing that even if the boy was willing to go through the 7 realms of hell to see his friend, even he as the commander had no power to do so.

Sanada cried again, even though he had promised himself not to. He had tried so hard to reach out once more for that girl that had been keeping him company for so long now. They were both in different worlds, but that didn't matter, not to him, and he didn't care about anything else anymore…

The general pressed his lips together and stayed silent.

* * *

><p><em>In the small closed chamber with darkness<em>

_My scream was resounding vainly_

_I'm feeling pain in my chest_

_I can hardly breathe_

A minion rapped politely, or as politely as rapping could be on an office door.

"General sir! The gassing room has been prepared as instructed and ready for use anytime!"

The addressed general simply nodded as the private saluted from where he stood at the door before walking away to carry on with his other duties. Both prisoner and general stood up at the same time.

It was a silent walk to the gassing room, and passing officers merely minded their own businesses, only stopping to salute the general. Sanada even spotted some fake, pitying glances and he growled in response. Having reached the entrance of the room, the boy willingly stepped in and sat down.

"Sanada-kun."

"…What?"

Shocked silence hung in the air as the general tore up the letter that Sanada had been reading just now. The boy just froze in his position, wordless as to what to say, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. He didn't know what to think at all.

The general was…smiling? A genuine one? And were those tears he saw forming?

The gas poisonous gas choked him, it made his head spin and everything blurry. He could not even shout, for his throat was far to irritated by the gas to do so. So this was how he was going to die, by pathetic gas. But it was effective, and soon the pain in the chest carried over to him spluttering and gasping for air that he could breathe.

"Sanada-kun…take care of her…"

Sanada knew…he knew that it wouldn't be long before he would go…

* * *

><p><em>I wanted to know<em>

_Just one thing_

_Your na..me..._

His vision had long blacked out, it was even worse than the blurry images that he kept on seeing throughout the gassing process. His lungs felt like they were filling up to the brim with liquid, leaving no space for the owner to obtain oxygen…

Sanada's mind had long been cleared of unnecessary thoughts, and now all he could think of was that girl, his friend, his crush…and he only had one regret left, one wish…

The boy shut his eyes as he breathed in pain…

"I…wanted to…know…just…one thing…"

He breathed, or rather, gasped his last…

"Your…na…me…"


	2. Paper Plane

"Sei-chan! Its time for your medicine~"

The nurse whistled a little as she walked cheerfully into the ward. She loved her job as a children's nurse. Kids were really adorable. Naughty at times, but definitely innocent and willing to listen if you knew the correct way of getting to them.

Knocking twice before pushing the door open gently, the nurse walked in…

…only to be greeted with the sight of an empty bed, the tubes all taken off and the patient nowhere in sight.

The young woman frowned, placing the tray of medicine on the bed table (the one patients use to eat their meals) with a little more force than necessary. This wasn't the first time it had happened. And while she knew very well that the little brat would comeback when she had had enough, it was way too irresponsible for her to sneak out like that! She was in hospital for a reason and this would only let her health suffer more!

"Now now, Nami-san. What could possibly be making you this frustrated at this time of the day?"

Suppressing an exasperated sigh, she turned to face the doctor, who was standing casually in the doorway. He looked so casual and at ease that any onlooker would have thought he wasn't a certified doctor and had simply just stolen a doctor's coat for use as entertainment. But books were never meant to be judged by their covers. This man was in fact one of the most talented in the field.

Nami leaned back on the bedpost from where she was standing and folded her arms.

"Don't act, sensei. You and I both know its not the first time this has happened. Her father trusted us and no one else to make sure that brat is in good health. What do you have to say?"

The silverette doctor only smiled, then turned to walk back down the corridor.

"Nothing. I have nothing to say."

* * *

><p><em>One time, at a certain place<em>

_Not associated with this world_

_Two unlucky people connect in the world_

_With a single paper aeroplane_

It had been a nice, sunny day when she had begged her father to take her to his workplace so she could see what he did for a living. What he did in order to pay for her medical bills and still have some money left over to buy her her favourite foods.

The car drove for quite a while- to the girl at least. She was getting really bored, and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt the car screech to a halt and her father opening the door for her to come out. She stepped out eagerly, for this was the first time in a…while that she had smelt the fresh air.

For some reason, she realised, her father seemed reluctant to bring her to work, and it was only after she pestered him endlessly for days on end before he finally caved into his princess' wishes and brought her out. Following her father into the dark and scary buildings, she gulped, not knowing what to expect.

Officers scurrying about simply bowed politely to her, seeing as she was the daughter of the one in charge, before hurriedly going on their way. The atmosphere was making her more uncomfortable by the minute, and she asked for permission to wander the flower fields that were directly beside the prison. The man shook his head, muttering something about not wanting her to come in the first place.

"You may go, Seiichi. But remember to take care. I'll have an officer follow you."

The bluette frowned and shook her head stubbornly.

"No, daddy! I want to be alone, just me. I won't faint just like that!"

Sighing in defeat, the man raised his hands in mock defeat, his daughter chuckling cutely.

"Yes…yes."

The air was fresh…much more so than its stale and pungent counterpart in the hospital wards. The bluette enjoyed every minute of the time she spent in the nice, flower field. Letting the wind caress her face with its gentle touch, letting the grass stroke her slim legs. It was quite an experience to have, and she was savouring it…for fear that she might not have the chance to do so that often anymore…

It got tiring after a while, and the young lass looked for a tree to lean against to sit down and read her book. Seeing that there was none, not even something similar, in sight, she looked behind her to where the great fences were. Where her father worked and where he told her to stay as far away as possible from. But…it looked safe enough…and fairly peaceful too.

Yukimura slowly approached the fence, which had to be about one and a half times her height in the least, spanning so far she couldn't see the end from where she was standing. She shrugged, before patting a patch of grass free of dirt and sitting herself down comfortably, opening her book and entering a world of fantasy and supernatural elements. Of where the endings always ended up happy.

She didn't know how long it had been, but there was the sound of footsteps approaching from behind her, before it stopped and she felt a presence. The girl didn't need to turn around to know it was someone about her age. Minutes of silence passed, until she could take it no longer and shut her book, placing it down on the ground beside her, standing up to face the boy. Yukimura had to chuckle inwardly at the amusing sight of the zoned out boy in front of her.

"Hi."

Once more, amusement as the greeting seemingly startled the boy and he was flustered, in a hurry to reply.

"H-Hi?"

She stood silent for a few moments as she watched the one in front of her fumble around with his clothes, go into deep thought, then fumble with his clothes again, before settling for staring at her.

"You look pretty funny with that dumbstruck face of yours."

Yukimura seriously couldn't resist the urge to just reach through a hole in the fence with her slender index finger and poke the prisoner.

He jumped this time, looking at her weirdly, once more settling for staring at her eyes, and Yukimura resisted the urge to just roll her eyes and shake her pretty head. She stopped herself as she placed herself into her companion's shoes- how would SHE react if she was the one behind that restricting piece of metal, staring at one who was not a Rebel?

She pushed all unnecessary thoughts out of her head.

"What's your name?"

She tilted her head to the side, hoping it would get her what she wanted, and inwardly smirked when she saw how the other boy blushed a little.

"Sanada. Sanada Genichirou."

Oooo…what a nice name, she thought. He was definitely no older than her, and even then only by a couple of years or so. He may have looked dirty, smelled bad. But unlike the other prisoners she had passed by just now, this boy had a look in his eyes. He looked as if he was ready to die if need be, He looked as if he was willing to go through anything if it meant fulfilling whatever he wished for. Determination. His yellowish-brown eyes spoke volumes about the depth of his character.

Sanada…was it? Right, she would remember that.

"Come here and have a talk with me."

Yukimura's cheeks felt warm and fuzzy. But it could have been her own imagination.

* * *

><p><em>Every day I escape the hospital<em>

_At the place where my Papa works_

_I meet with you; you're everything to me_

Tick tock tick tock tick tock…

Sapphire orbs snapped opened as they stared at the analog timekeeper just above on the wall on the opposite side of the room. The owner smiled as she slowly awoke from her tiny nap and stretched, attempting to shake off any more traces of fatigue that sleep might have left on her.

Picking up a complete outfit that she had prepared the night before, Yukimura tip-toed into the bathroom and locked the door with a click. She had to pull out all her tubes in order to do this, but the annoying pain wasn't enough to deter her from this routine that she had come to adhere to everyday.

Checking that every single detail of her outfit was in place and proper, the bluette beamed. The door to the bathroom was unlocked, and she peeped out once more, before making her way to the door of her ward, and peeping out into the corridor. This process repeated itself all the way until Yukimura found herself walking towards the prison buildings without having been found out by any of the hospital staff.

And as per the norm, or at least how her life had been going on for a few weeks now, she arrived at the agreed spot just seconds earlier than the one she was to meet. Sanada actually smiled more now, at least whenever he met her. It was always smiles as greetings before any exchange of conversation took place.

The bluette found herself staring at the sorry state that Sanada's clothes were in, but held her comments to herself. Doing anything otherwise would throw her into the same category as 'those people' who looked down on and scorned the Rebels. She herself knew that this was not true, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Escaping the hospital, to the place where her father worked. It was becoming a routine everyday without fail. The girl knew how her actions were probably doing more harm than good to herself…but she wouldn't, couldn't stop. This meeting with her Rebel friend at that prison at that place her father worked was the highlight of her day. It was the event of the day that she looked forward to the most…It was everything to her. She had nothing to motivate her to continue living on, but this…this was it. This meeting with a friend she never knew she would have…it was everything to her, everything in the world.

This day was special, as Yukimura saw her friend holding something in his hands- a paper plane.

She watched on as he attempted to throw the poor thing over and over again, attempting with all his might to get it to fly over the tall fence. But to no avail. It was funny seeing his flustered and blushing expression though, the embarrassment only too obvious.

They had to settle for squeezing the paper plane through a hole in the fence.

The bluette read the letter on the spot, taking in its contents and finding a variety of expressions being shown on her face consecutively. The letter was so heartfelt, so nice, despite it being a mere summary of her friend's personal thoughts in the prison. She smiled as an idea hit her.

Sanada, seeing as she was done, opened his mouth to speak. But Yukimura shushed him with a finger to her own lips, as she held the letter close to her chest…before walking away.

She could deal with Sanada's questions later. It was almost time for their meeting to end anyways.

* * *

><p><em>When I read your letters, my heart<em>

_Becomes warm_

_My cheeks are coloured; is this love?_

Time passed, and passed some more.

Letters back and forth piled up in the drawer of the bedside table of a certain girl. Yukimura giggled to herself as she took out the few most recent ones and read them quietly, over and over again until she could nearly memorise the contents of each of them. Those few pieces of paper with words on them just meant that much to her, and she treasured them. Far more than that vase of flowers that she insisted on personally taking care of, placed on her bedside table.

Reading the letters gave her comfort. Someone cared about her and gave her the company that she needed. She loved her father, yes she did. But he had work commitments and could not spend all the time in the world with her. It was long and lonely hours at the hospital, the only things surrounding Yukimura being inanimate objects and machines.

Yukimura scanned the letters once more, feeling her heart grow warmer and warmer with the reading of each and every word. Her face also felt the same, and she knew enough to know that it was called 'blushing'.

Was this love she was feeling for her friend at the prison? Was this love that she was feeling for that boy at the place where her father worked?

Perhaps so, perhaps so.

Yukimura giggled once more as she came past a little joke written in the letter.

* * *

><p><em>But<em>

_Why does Papa say_

_With a scary face_

_That that child_

_Is no good to see? _

_I didn't understand_

"Seiichi."

Yukimura's mood brightened considerably as she saw her father walk into her ward, new flowers in hand, with a smile he wore on that typically stoned face. He also hadn't had the time to change out of his military uniform before coming over, but that didn't matter right now.

"Daddy!"

He reached over to hug his daughter and plant a kiss on her smooth and nice-smelling locks.

"How are you today?"

"Awesome. I ate my medicine and I'm not feeling tired!"

"I see…"

The man took the vase that had been sitting on the bedside table of his daughter's bed and proceeded to the bathroom to change the flowers that his girl was so fond of. In the process, he heard a whole ton of giggling coming from said girl, and couldn't help but crack a smile too at the sound. After all, if his daughter was happy, then why shouldn't he be?

A sight of paper planes and a few sheets of unfolded paper strewn about the bed table greeted him when he returned from the bathroom with freshly arranged flowers in tow. The adorable look his daughter had on as she blushed and giggled melted his heart completely. He just HAD to know who or what was making his daughter so…elated.

"Seiichi, who or what is it that is making you react so? You look adorable blushing like that."

Yukimura only blushed harder at that and said nothing, willingly handing over the letter she was currently reading as well as surrendering the others to her demanding father.

What came next however, was completely unexpected.

The plastic chair clattered to the floor from the occupant standing up too quickly. Yukimura's eyes had widened in horror at the look on her father's face as he took in the contents of the letters one by one. He was snarling, hatred in his eyes for all the world to see, seemingly barely short of ripping up the paper planes.

Having finished reading them all, the man sighed, but his gaze still hard.

"Seiichi, that child…is no good to see."

The bluette was stunned, but she gathered herself.

"No daddy, you are wrong. He isn't a bad person, he is just like me!"

"A Rebel can never be the same as us, Seiichi! What have I taught you since the day you said your first word?"

Flinching just a tad bit, the girl nodded obediently and shut her eyes. Rehearsed and memorised words flowed out smoothly, not a syllable off.

"Rebels are the unclean and the uncouth. Atheists are the proper and the right. None shall ever cross paths, for they shall never mix…"

Yukimura felt a tiny tear roll down her cheek.

"…and neither will they live in harmony. For it is not ordered by the Law to be so."

The man standing in front of her right now wasn't the gentle and caring father she knew. He was the general in charge of the prisons, of those 'wretched bulidings', cold and merciless. He nodded stiffly.

"Its good to see that you haven't forgotten. Heed my words, my girl."

With that, he strode out the door, carrying with him every paper plane that had been possessed by his daughter a few minutes before. No one really even knew if he heard the girl's anguished wailing from within the room.

Why? Why had it come to this? No…it was her own fault for not realising earlier that their relationship as well as their meetings with each other were forbidden. Had her father not drilled those words into her head since the day she spoke her first word like he said? Yukimura could suddenly understand the whole situation and how it made her father so angry and all…

…but still. There was something she still didn't...

* * *

><p><em>If I have you, then that is enough<em>

_You give my life meaning_

_In this room where light doesn't shine_

_The future was shining_

That night, Yukimura cried herself to sleep, unable to enter the realm of dreams. She could have asked the doctor for some sleeping pills….but nah. It wouldn't be too good to digest too much of those foul-tasting chemicals, and it wasn't that serious of a problem anyway.

Those letters had been her fond memories of her times with Sanada. Memories of how they met, and how they became friends up till now. It had been hard interacting with any of the Atheist children, even though they were supposedly of the same kind. No one liked her enough to tolerate her pathetic stamina and energy level. She was too slow for them…and they too fast for her. Who knew that the only friend she had in this world would be a Rebel? One whom she was not supposed to even have talked to.

The bluette suddenly found herself missing her mother so, so much. She hadn't felt this way since the day her father had tearfully hugged her close and told her that the woman that had been such a huge part of their lives until then…had gone to somewhere far far away. And would not be returning anytime soon. Her mother had been gentle, yet strict. She was everything her mother ever was, she was often told by her father- but she knew it was far from so.

Her mother taught her many things, one of which was love. Yukimura could even remember an abstract of a poem her she had recited to her in the past.

"_**If I have you, then that is enough"**_

"Sanada-kun…you don't know how much you mean to me…you don't know how you are my entire world and my entire life. But now…I realised how important you are to me, and how I could just die from not being able to visit you for a day. Nothing else in this world matters to me now…except for you, Sanada-kun…except for you…"

"_**You give my life meaning"**_

"My life has been such an ass to a girl like me. I've almost never gone outside to play with any of the others and the only times I did…it all ended up with me fainting and lying in a hospital bed. I've never gone to any other outdoor parties since…not even the outdoors itself…until that fateful day that was. To have met you was a fortune, something I would not have exchanged for anything else…"

"_**In this room where light doesn't shine"**_

"This room…this hospital room where I have been practically living in until now. Sure, there are windows, I would be lying through my teeth if I said there wasn't one- its directly beside my bed. The nurse, Nami-san, always comes in to open the blinds to let the light in as she knows I like it. But that light is not light to me at all. Its as if this room was dark, pitch dark, and the only thing glowing was your paper plane to me…"

"_**The future was shining"**_

"Sanada-kun…in this metaphorically pitch dark hospital prison I'm in…I can feel your plight, even if not on the same level. We are birds locked in a cage deprived of freedom. We are the butterflies who will never get the chance to spread our wings for anyone to admire or even see in the first place. But to me, in this room, there was something shining. The future was shining as I thought of you, and I knew that every reason I was undergoing this torture for was for you…to see you…"

The bluette was actually whispering these words in her sleep, her face all the while looking so tortured and upset. She finally became still and slept peacefully for a while.

Namirin only looked on from where she was standing across the room. It was only after Yukimura stopped mumbling that she stepped quietly over and pulled the covers further up so that her patient would not catch a cold.

* * *

><p><em>Day by day the number of tubes increases<em>

_My hearing grows distant_

_I wonder if even walking has become fairly difficult_

As was with every morning, the only daughter of the Yukimuras awoke and sat up slowly, rubbing the remains of sleep out of her eyes. Smoothing her hands over her unkempt bed hair, she turned to the window which Nami-san had already opened up a tad bit for her. Breathing in a bit of the air that had come in the form of a light breeze, she frowned.

Was it her, or were the birds chirping a little more softly today? And the leaves in the trees deciding not to disturb with their rustling?

Her hand going to her ear, she looked down sadly. The symptoms of the terminal disease that she had been so unfortunately afflicted with were starting to take effect faster than she realised. Today, it would simply seem like everything had turned down their volume. The next week, it could be complete silence for her. The very thought disturbed her, but she didn't feel scared or anything…it was just…sad.

Her eyes shifted across the room- her private ward. The number of tubes she had been connected to had increased seemingly with each passing day. And while that might have been an exaggeration, it was still a great number of machinery and plastic things that were connected to her. Doctors told her it was all for the sake of keeping her alive…even if it meant discomfort and near torture.

Yukimura closed her eyes in deep thought about something, before suddenly snapping them open. The bluette looked down at her legs…and wondered if they were still working. It may have seemed like crazy and insane behaviour to anyone, but to her…it was perfectly plausible why she would act this way. She could deal with losing her hearing, but her walking ability? Heck no. Those 2 limbs were what enabled her to see Sanada everyday, and she'd be damned if she were to lose them.

Slowly pulling her legs over such that they were dangling over the edge of the bed and touching the floor, she shifted her centre of gravity and took some steps, almost breathing in relief when she realised she could still move on her own.

That was, until she fell for no reason.

Thankfully, it was a soundless fall and Nami-san didn't hear it, for she would have dragged Yukimura back to bed and confined her to that thing for the rest of the dayo- on the account that she was not to move around much lest she fell while no one looked. She sighed.

No one but the girl was in the room at that point. She picked herself up and made her way back to bed, not falling at all this time.

She knew…that something had happened. She had known…and she was supposedly prepared…

* * *

><p><em>If soon I won't leave this place alive<em>

_In the end, I_

_Don't want to burden you since you'll only worry_

_I run_

When Yukimura woke up one morning, she knew…that she didn't have long left.

She was practically a living experiment now, like those you see in those sci-fi movies. Those with tubes connected to them all over and them being unable to move and all. That was precisely the state Yukimura was in now, and she accepted everything easily, for she had been prepared…

…except for the fact that she wasn't going to see Sanada, her Rebel friend at the prison, ever again.

This was the one thing she feared. She feared nothing else in the world, not even death, who was probably looking at her in the face in all its ugly and hideous glory. Death was nothing to her at this point- she had had far too many brushes with it already. The only fear was how it would take her meetings with Sanada away from her.

"If soon…I won't leave this place alive…"

Yukimura shed a single tear, clutching a paper plane which she had cleverly hid from her father, tightly. She clenched her teeth.

"…then…I won't be a burden to you. I would…only hurt you more…if I let you leave your hope of me continuing to visit you…just like that…"

Yukimura was so tired. So tired she could barely move. But she knew she had waited far too long too do this, all in vain hope that she would one day recover miraculously and be able to continue meeting this boy that she had come to be so fond of. It was time for the bluette to say goodbye to her Rebel friend for now and forever, and if she waited until tomorrow…she might never get the chance…

Forcefully plucking out all the tubes even though it hurt more than before, Yukimura only thought of wanting to see Sanada one last time. Her senses had long been dulled by the disease, and a disoriented state a norm. But she wasn't going to let all these deter her.

"…she was in the room by herself, reading one of those paper planes. Then s-"

Namirin stopped short as she saw the subject of their conversation walk away from the room, all decked out in a pretty dress and her favourite hat. The doctor who had been with her cleared his throat and she looked at him. Both simply stayed silent…and decided that they would let it go this last time, since their patient still had the fortune of being able to move around.

Sanada probably saw her coming from a distance, and flashed one of his smiles that she knew he reserved for her. But that smile soon turned to confusion and then a slightly accusing one as she got closer to him. Yukimura understood, for she had been late for their meeting and it was only right to want an apology.

She only smiled, and other than an apology, no words were exchanged as the bluette threw the paper plane over the fence and into the waiting hands of her friend whom she had a crush on.

By now, her smile had completely gone from her pretty face and she simply stood there poker-faced and awaited her friend's reaction to the contents of the letter. She didn't so much as flinch when she saw her paper plane slowly being crumpled and just barely short of ripped up, and Sanada turning to her, asking a silent 'Why?'

She had rehearsed these lines by herself in the toilet probably a hundred times by now. But it was still hard to say the real thing

Yukimura's voice only came out in squeaks and sobs- anything but a proper and steady voice that she had thought she was so ready to give. Everything she was showing now was betraying what she had planned for so far. She even had her back turned to him because she couldn't bear to look at the boy that she had betrayed and disappointed all in one letter and in a single day.

She slowly turned back a fraction for a last look at the boy she had come to realise she had a crush on…freezing as she did so.

* * *

><p><em>My thoughts of goodbye<em>

_I send out to you_

_On an exchanged_

_Paper aeroplane_

_I can't show you my tears anymore_

That paper plane was to be their last link as friends before Yukimura willingly disappeared from Sanada's life forever. That much the bluette had promised herself.

The sight before her pained her heart, but she didn't even know how to respond. Sanada was gritting his teeth as he used the edge of the unfolded paper plane to cut neatly into his finger as he used his own blood to write a single word on the back of the paper, expression unwavering and steady still.

'LIES'

Yukimura once more turned away from Sanada, for she could no longer bear to face him anymore. She didn't want to show him anymore of those betraying tears. Her reason as she had stated in her letter for leaving was that she would be moving somewhere far away…but of course Sanada being as sharp as he was would not believe that. The real reason would be far too harsh to tell him, and she planned to leave it at that.

"I'm sorry…I'm…so…sorry…"

And with that last apology, the girl felt her legs automatically wanting to get her away from the place- and the person…who was causing her distress…

* * *

><p><em>"I'll wait. I'll wait for you forever!<em>

_Until that day when you come back_

_If I don't lose your precious letters that I have_

_We'll meet again, alright..." _

"I'll wait!"

Yukimura stood still.

Sanada apparently took it as a cue that she was listening, and proceeded to tell her what he truly wanted to say from the bottom of his heart. If this was where their relationship came to an end, then it would be the stupidest thing in the world not to make the most of the moment.

"Until that day…when you come back…"

The prisoner was trying to hold back his tears and not stutter.

"If…If I don't lose your precious letters that I have…"

Yukimura, was slowly walking away by now…tears already dripping quite freely, her hat of no use in hiding them at this point.

"We'll meet again, alright…alright?"

The boy never got a reply as he watched the figure of his only friend in the world running away into the horizon, this time not even sparing a backward glance like he had hoped. Yukimura only felt that it would hurt the both of them more if she prolonged their farewell any longer, and this would be it.

This was it. They were never to meet again.

* * *

><p><em>It's been many months since then<em>

_My body no longer moves_

_I wonder if you'll come to welcome me very soon_

_When we were on the brink of separation that time_

_If I hadn't pretended to be tough, it would've been fine_

_It's already too late_

_You who are smiling somewhere even now..._

Many months had passed since that fateful day, and life went on for everyone like normal. Or at least, as normal as it could for Yukimura- who by now was paralysed completely, the only indication of her living being the constant beeping of the machine and her fluttering and blinking eyelids. The bluette had long lost all the ability to express what she wanted freely through her actions, and her responses having been reduced to blinks for a 'yes' or 'no' answer. It was stupid.

Even through all her internal suffering…the girl still couldn't get her mind off Sanada. He had become such a part of her it was almost as if they had known each other their whole lives and not just those few, miserly months. Being apart from him hurt more than anything else.

Yukimura had also wondered about something, about whether Sanada would come welcome her very soon. Welcome her at where all souls went when their time in the living world was up, and lead her there. It was a thought she inwardly slapped herself for, since it was practically cursing, but then she thought about it. Was Sanada happy being kept in that prison cell in those wretched buildings? Was he content there?

The smile that came on his face whenever he saw her…it was only those times that it appeared. No more, no less.

Having been on the brink of separation at that time…it was so painful, and Yukimura could not think clearly at all. Even though she had prepared for everything to go this way, and their separation as painless as it could possibly be…there was regret. She regretted not telling Sanada that she liked him. She regretted not telling Sanada her name. She regretted not saying more in those letters, not sharing more of her thoughts with her friend.

If the bluette hadn't pretended to be tough, everything would have been fine…she supposed. What if she had just broke down right there and then and told the truth? Would that have helped? Or would it have made Sanada worry more just like she had feared?

Yukimura closed her eyes in exhaustion. Her body was fighting for her life every second that she was breathing in this world. Of course the fatigue would build up- it was ineveitable for someone like her. It was too late for her to do anything now. The past could not be changed.

Only the future could. And right now...Yukimura didn't have much of a choice of how her future was going to go.

She could only push her thoughts towards that black-haired prisoner once more.

"My message…to you…Sanada…kun..you…who are…smiling…somewhere…even now…"

* * *

><p><em>I want to see you, I want to see you<em>

_I want to see you_

_*beep…beep…beep…beep…*_

Yukimura's unresponsive self had started shedding tears by now, one hand still holding firmly onto that one paper plane that Nami-san had so kindly put into her hands, knowing she could no longer hold it on her own. She had decided that maybe her decision was never for the best, and never will be. She missed- and wanted to be with Sanada far too much…too much…

"I want to see you…I want to…see you…I…want…to…see…you!..."

Nami-san was shocked at Yukimura's sudden crying, but it was nothing compared to the one she was currently having now as she heard the monitor beeping erratically and her patient sweating profusely. The worried nurse wasted no seconds in bursting out of the door and calling for the doctor. Things were not looking good.

Medical attention arrived soon enough and immediately the doctor ordered for certain medicines to be brought in as he went about his way, trying to find the cause of the sudden deterioration in her health. Staff surrounded her bed as they adjusted some tubes and tweaked some buttons on the machine to make her feel better, and hopefully save her young life.

A call of course, was made to a certain office. The receiver had stood up from his table immediately and was out of his office in seconds, not bothering to explain himself to any of his underlings. Those could wait.

He entered the room only to find the sight of his young daughter suffering greeting his eyes. They said that they had somewhat stabilised her condition, but there was no telling if it would go downhill again anytime. They also said for him to be prepared if anything went wrong.

Yukimura was breathing, breath showing as mist as it condensed inside her breathing mask. Her life was hanging on a thread now, without a need for anything more than a gentle poke to snap it. Her eyes were open, but glazed and unfocused. She already lost her sight 3 weeks ago, and the girl probably didn't even know that her father was sitting right beside her.

About half an hour went by in stifling silence, watching Yukimura breathe in, and out, in and out. There was nothing much else to do then. He saw how the bluette was gripping her blanket so tightly it could rip, and patted her hand comfortingly.

"Beep…beep…beep…beep"

Wait a minute, why was Yukimura's heart rate starting to slow so suddenly? The father looked worriedly at his daughter, seeing that she had shut her eyes, and her grip on the blanket ever so gentle now…

"Beep…beep…beep…"

His emotions and worry now pouring out in full blast, it was a miracle the general had not run out into a corridor like a madman and shout for the doctor to just get his damned butt there already.

"DOCTOR!"

* * *

><p><em>The light doesn't strike the flower that simply<em>

_Withers waiting for its destiny_

_Only the letters you gave _

_Are light that is given to me_

It was simply breathlessness and all the like now. The concentration needed for breathing and living for just another second was extremely high. Yukimura took it all in stride, and just felt like it was payment for having betrayed the trust her prisoner friend had in her. It was a befitting punishment after all…for she truly felt hurt and regretful for everything.

Her parents had once told her that she was a flower, a very pretty flower. That was long before she had been diagnosed with the dreadful disease and she had been free to roam about all she liked. Those were the days. They had also told her that no matter what, she would be a flower that bloomed forever…showing the world its beauty and magnificence…

How wrong they were.

Flowers needed light, they needed water, and they needed soil. The hospital ward was her soil, her daily food was her water. Then…where was her light? No, the sunlight radiating from the window wasn't light- it was a mere glow, an empty replica of the real thing. Her light was Sanada Genichirou, and a plant deprived of its light was not destined to live for long, or blossom as it should…

Light will never strike the flower that simply withers…awaiting its destiny.

The bluette realised…that for all the last months she had been in this horrible disinfectant-scented place…it was the letters that brightened her day. The letters were written memories of everything she shared with her friend, day in and day out. It didn't matter that they were never destined to be together. It didn't matter that he was supposedly not good enough for her.

Nothing mattered…except that…the light that was the letters…it had gone out…

* * *

><p><em>Your letters are blurry as I can no longer read them<em>

_The sound of inorganic matter echoes in the room_

_Please, if this is the end_

_Let me go to where you are..._

_*beep...beep...beep...*_

Yukimura still remembered the day she found that her sight was being stolen from her too. Reading those letters had been her routine…all the way until everything became too blurry and nothing made sense anymore. It was no longer possible to read them…and she even resorted to asking Nami-san to read it to her…making her promise not to tell anybody else…

Her senses eventually got away from her bit by bit, one by one. She was now a vegetable, a useless human. Not being able to see, hear, feel, taste, smell. Horrific indeed. The sound of inorganic matter echoing in the room was what convinced her that she was still alive and wasn't dead yet.

Yukimura suddenly felt a sense of peace as her heartbeat slowed down its pace, probably having already given up trying to keep her alive. It was probably accepting that death was coming to claim them anyway, and that maybe…retirement would be a good option…

"Beep…beep…beep…"

Maybe it was heaven's pity, but the bluette realised with a jolt that all her senses had suddenly come back to her, even if she was to weak to make use of them. She could see all the doctors trying their best to save her live, feeding her tubes medicine, pumping up the machinery. She could also see her father…hat off and worriedly looking down at her…

Yukimura almost closed her eyes in submission and wait for death to take her…but then she stopped. No, there was one thing…one thing…

Her left hand twitched as it felt around for something. The general felt puzzled and panicky at his daughter's actions. What did she want to do? Scanning the floor with trained expertise, he saw…the paper plane. The girl was still feeling around frantically for that mere…thing. That pathetic piece of paper that he would probably have crushed and burned the moment he got his hands on it.

The man didn't know what he was doing, but, he had picked up that letter- that paper plane, and had slid it gently into the hand of the panicking girl.

At the touch of the paper, Yukimura finally stopped moving about, and she stared ahead into the ceiling. She even spoke some words…and her father leaned forward to intercept them.

"S-Sana…da…kun…"

He made no move of show of dislike. He simply sat there, all the while still holding the girl's hand.

"Beep…beep…beep…"

It was perhaps his imagination, but he doubted so. The man watched as his daughter shed a single tear and clenched onto the the paper plane tightly…and smiled a little. That one, miniscule smile as she shut her eyes…

"Beep…beep**..."**

* * *

><p><em>Because I always had you [Because I always had you]<em>

Because Sanada was there for her, she wasn't afraid to accept any kind of treatment, even if it involved them literally cutting her up all the time to administer it. It was because he was there, and she had him, that she endured everything she had to suffer all this while…all with that simple and naïve hope of meeting him every single day.

Because Yukimura was there for him, he wasn't afraid of any kind of torture that they had to inflict upon him that day, be it scarring him or just plain starving him to death. It was because she was there, and he had her, that he pushed through every day, pushed to continue living up till this day…all with that simple and naïve hope of meeting her every single day.

_I could live without forgetting to have a smile on my face [I could live without forgetting to have a smile on my face]_

She had had her smile for as long as she could remember, and she knew it brightened up everybody's day when she showed it. Yukimura had fast realised how it was becoming more and more fake with each passing day…until it came to a point where the only person who saw a genuine one was…

He had not had his smile for as long as he could remember. Even during his days as a carefree toddler, he knew not of a day he had ever felt happy enough to smile and just twitch the sides of his mouth to form that crescent shape. It was only after meeting Yukimura that Sanada finally found the smile he thought he never had.

_The deep darkness tears the two of us apart and [The deep darkness tears the two of us apart and]_

The forbidden life that both children had decided to lead…the forbidden meetings that they had. None of it would ever have happened if nothing happened on that fateful day, where Yukimura had chosen to sit against that majestic yet horrific metal fence. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

But…neither of the two would have even half-thought of swapping their meeting that day for anything else in the world…

_The deep darkness brings us together again [The deep darkness brings us together again]_

Yukimura breathed her last breaths as her life force slowly drained away into nothingness and the monitor beside her beeped its acknowledgement. She knew how everyone was watching her and how much they wanted her to live. But she was not stupid. She knew all their efforts were futile…and she was destined to go anyways…

Sanada gasped as the poisonous gas enveloped him and any traces of breathable air evaporating right before him. The effects were starting to show as the boy spluttered as his lungs still struggled to keep him alive by breathing in what he was not supposed to. There was nothing he could do now but accept his death…and have a tiny spark of hope…

_Till tomorrow... [Till tomorrow...]_

Yukimura groaned as she sat up, shaking her head. She stared at her surroundings.

The bluette felt familiarity. It was as if this meadow…was somewhere she had been before…somewhere…somewhere…like…oh.

She was no longer wearing her dull and loose hospital clothes. She was now clothed in her favourite white dress, complete with the hat sitting firmly at the top of her head. She reached to take it off.

Sanada moaned as he too sat up, no longer feeling any ache in his body. He stared at his surroundings in astonishment, certain that he had been somewhere else just mere seconds ago.

He remembered this place. It was where he had been living for more of his life than he could remember. This meadow…it was also where…

His clothes and body no longer felt dirty. It was as if he had taken a bath just seconds ago, and now free of any dirt and contaminants…

The two children froze as their eyes met, and their bodies moving on their own as they each stood up slowly from where they had been sitting, slowly but surely, inching closer and closer to the other. The metal fence was the only one keeping them apart now…

Sapphire and golden-brown orbs widened simultaneously as the fence slowly faded away…until nothing more was left to stand as a barrier between the two of them…

_At that place... [At that place...]_

The bluette didn't know how to describe this feeling…happiness? Excitement? She felt heat creeping up her cheeks…or was it perhaps…love?

She hesitantly held out her hand, still unconvinced that everything she was seeing in front of her was even real at all.

The boy also felt heat creeping up his cheeks, and at the same time overflowing feelings of elatedness and everything nice. This here was his crush, his love…right in front of him…

…holding her hand out.

Sanada simply went forward to take it, blushing furiously ad he realised how stupid and eager he must have looked. Yukimura chuckled, unable to control herself anymore. She tilted her head down low.

"Sana-Genichirou-kun."

"Hn?"

"I-I-I l-like you!"

Apparently he was taken very aback by that statement, and took a couple of seconds to recover. But nonetheless, he returned that confession with a smile.

"…Ah…"

Yukimura blushed even harder as she realised her slip-up. She hadn't told Sanada her name yet, good lord!

"Yukimura. Yukimura Seiichi."

More silence enveloped them then, and it was getting amusing.

"Yuki-Seiichi…"

"Hm?"

"I…I…I like you too!"

And that was all they needed- a smile. A smile was all they needed to find happiness in the tragedy that was their lives.

~OWARI~

* * *

><p><strong>Wow 0.o its finally over. Longest chapters I have written so far, and no intention of breaking the record anytime soon *wipes off sweat*<strong>

**Hey...sorry for doing this to the Alpha Pair...but I thought it was a fitting song to do for them:) Don't kill me...please?**

**Like I said, and if you have been naughty and NOT listened to the songs before reading this, I am so gonna kick your butt and send it flying over to dwarf planet Pluto. I'm serious, dammit! X(**

**Its late as usual. And of course, thanks to the Vocaloids Kagamine Rin and Kagamine Len for making this fic possible :D**

**Please Review! Reviews are the air we authors breathe, the food we authors eat, the water we authors drink! Don't let us die just like that!**

**Thank you very much for reading, will update soon:)**


End file.
